On The Move: Breaking Down Chase Edmonds & Raheem Mostert on The Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have loaded up significantly on offense for the 2021 season, acquiring name offensive linemen to protect QB Tua Tagovailoa, trading the farm for superstar WR Tyreek Hill and signing Cedrick Wilson away from the Cowboys. They also re-signed TE Mike Gesicki, and all of these players are in addition to rookie breakout WR Jaylen Waddle, whom they invested a Top 10 pick in last year. But all these additions to bolster the passing game have shoved the acquisitions of Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert under the radar, who represent a drastic overhaul of the entire running game.

Edmonds and Mostert share some similarities. Both are exceedingly fast players, and both are RBs whom fantasy managers have yearned to see with more opportunity. Now they’re paired in the same backfield, and it is very possible one of them can emerge as a lead back, but the likelihood of a new bell cow is still small.

Neither player has every hit the 150-carry mark, but of the two, Mostert has shown the higher ceiling. In 2019 Mostert broke out for the 49ers, rushing for 772 yards and eight touchdowns despite making zero starts. Injuries and opportunity have always been brutal for Mostert, who is going to be 30 by the time Week 1 rolls around, but when on the field he’s a paragon of efficiency. Mostert has a career 5.7 yards per carry average and led the NFL in RB DVOA in 2019 (26.8%). He also thrived as a 49er, and while Kyle Shanahan always gets the flowers for San Francisco’s fantastic offenses, his new head coach, Mike McDaniel, was the offensive coordinator. McDaniel knows what Mostert can do and made it a point to bring him aboard, so it would be surprising if Mostert was uninvolved.

Edmonds has been in a reserve role in Arizona for the first four years of his career, but he’s been much more involved the past two primarily as a receiving back. Edmonds has averaged more than three receptions per game the last two seasons, but is also highly efficient on the ground with a 4.7 yards per carry mark. While his 5.1 yards per carry tied a career high in 2021, PFF didn’t view his performance last season so favorably. Edmonds graded as just PFF’s 40th-best RB, with a subpar receiving grade of 60.1. Edmonds did battle injury – he was limited to 12 games – but he was thoroughly outplayed by James Conner, who came to the team on a one-year deal and was re-signed this offseason while Edmonds was allowed to leave. Many predicted a breakout in 2021 due to his efficiency, but the Cardinals instead brought in Conner to handle early-down and red zone work, cheaply filling a fantasy-rich role that was held by Kenyan Drake the prior season. That has been the story of Edmonds’ NFL career, and while he has a fresh start in South Beach, the Dolphins adding Mostert portends a similar fate.

So far, it would appear that Mostert has the slight edge in terms of fantasy value and desirability. He’s a clearer option for the heavier workload, is proven to be one of the NFL’s most efficient rushers, and has history with the new head coach. They also spent money on OT Terron Armstead and G Connor Williams to improve an offensive line that was third-worst in the NFL as a run blocking unit. However, joining a Tua-led offense could spike Edmonds’ value. Miami gained the second-fewest yards per completion last season, and Tua only threw 29 passes of 20+ yards throughout the entire season. Short throw accuracy is a Tua trademark, and Myles Gaskin was fourth on the team last season with 63 targets. With teams dedicating their defensive focus on slowing down Hill and Waddle, it’s possible that Edmonds is peppered with accurate throws, and he has the speed to turn those opportunities into chunk plays.

Lastly, there’s the matter of who will see goal line work. Edmonds has never been entrusted with those duties, but Mostert has never been a goal line maven either. In 2019 both of his receiving touchdowns came from 30+ yards out, and six of his rushing touchdowns were 10 yards or longer. This means one of these guys will be tried out in a new role, or the Dolphins could send the entire backfield’s value into a tailspin by bringing in a third option. Because of that, I don’t see either of these backs achieving the workload necessary for elite production. However, if no major additions are made, I do believe both of these players will be values on draft day.